Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Madrid Open fourth round on Saturday following a comfortable straight sets victory over Jacqueline Cristian.
Sabalenka, the top seed in the Spanish capital, defeated her Romanian opponent 6-1, 6-4 in the Caja Magica.
As a result, the Belarusian has moved one step closer to becoming the first player in Madrid Open WTA history to win four titles.
How many Grand Slams will Aryna Sabalenka win this year?
She looks unstoppable right now!
Sabalenka has already made tennis history ahead of her fourth round match in Madrid, joining Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep on an elite WTA list.
Aryna Sabalenka joins Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep in the Madrid Open history books
As per statisticians OptaAce, Aryna Sabalenka recorded her 25th victory at the Madrid Open with victory against Jacqueline Cristian on Saturday.
Sabalenka is now the third player since 2009 to claim 25 or more match wins at the Madrid Open, after Petra Kvitova (32) and Simona Halep (30).
Kvitova is a three-time champion in Madrid, winning the event in 2011, 2015 and 2018.
The Czech star, who won two Wimbledon titles before retiring last year, won a record 32 matches at the Madrid Open.
Simona Halep, a two-time champion in Madrid, won 30 matches at the Caja Magica.
Who wins more Grand Slams in their career – Elena Rybakina or Aryna Sabalenka?
Returning to Sabalenka, the Belarusian will look to record her 26th win in Madrid when she plays four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the Madrid Open fourth round.
Osaka, who has never advanced past the quarter-finals in Madrid, has defeated Camila Osorio and Anhelina Kalinina in her first two rounds.
Sabalenka has a 1-1 record against Osaka, having defeating the Japanese star in their last match at the 2026 Indian Wells Open.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Naomi Osaka
- 2018 US Open fourth round – Osaka defeated Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
- 2026 Indian Wells fourth round – Sabalenka defeated Osaka 6-2, 6-4
Aryna Sabalenka’s message for Roger Federer
Against Cristian, Sabalenka found herself 3-0 ahead in the first set and had the opportunity to break the Romanian’s serve for a second time.
A seven-shot rally ensued, with Sabalenka producing a remarkable one-handed backhand passing shot to seal the break.
Speaking to reporters in Madrid after the match, Sabalenka described the moment as the ‘shot of her life.’
“To hit it [in] the match, and to hit it as a winner, probably that was the shot of my life,” she said. “I’m waiting for Roger [Federer] to comment any tips for me!”
“I knew that one day, I would use it on court!”
If Sabalenka advances past Osaka on Monday, she will play Hailey Baptiste or Belinda Bencic in the Madrid Open quarter-finals.
Bencic defeated Diana Shnaider in the third round, while Baptiste knocked out eighth seed Jasmine Paolini.
